3 Mindset Mistakes You’ll Never Make Again

Have you ever been ready to jump into action but then realize something is holding you back? Instead of moving forward and kicking butt, you’re stopped dead in your tracks… And you can’t quite figure out why.

If this sounds all too familiar, the culprit may be a bad mindset.

While it might seem minor, mindset matters more than you think. Think of your mindset as the wheels you put on a bicycle: If one of the wheels is a little faulty, then you’re going to be in for a bumpy ride.

Here’s how to avoid three common mindset mistakes that can deter you from your goals.

“I Can’t Do It”

People tend to say that we are our own biggest critics, and when it comes to making big moves in the entrepreneurial world, that seems to be the case more than ever. We underestimate our strengths, we play up our weaknesses, and we let our fear of failure take over our decision-making process. But rather than judging our future potential by our past mistakes, try to show yourself a little compassion. Instead, take some time to explore previous failures to see how you can do things differently. Sometimes rethinking your game plan will open up a newfound confidence to try again and say, “I can do it.”

“I Need to Ask Permission First”

Entrepreneurship is strange, sometimes. We can be our own bosses, so we don’t need to ask permission – and yet sometimes we feel we need to before our next big move. Unfortunately, if your business choices are determined by who might let you do things and who might shut you down, we’re sorry to say you might not see the kind of success you’ve dreamed of. As an entrepreneur, you’ve got almost limitless possibilities. It’s normal to be a little intimidated, but don’t forget how great this is! You get to call the shots and create opportunities for yourself and others. Imagine if those before you stuck to the rules and only took chances when someone told them it was okay. Would we have even half of the technology or scientific knowledge that we do today? Doubtful.

“I Don’t Deserve Success”

Many incredible business owners still struggle with feelings of unworthiness. No matter the root cause, many of us have a lack of self-confidence when it comes to success. The foundation of this behavior is often deeply psychological, but many an entrepreneur can tell you that she hit a certain level of success and then felt like she didn’t deserve any more. Instead of standing in your own way, try implementing a few techniques to boost your self-confidence. When you believe you’re worthy of all of the success you desire, you’ll have fewer problems achieving it.

Of course, your grit and hard work will be what lead to success, but starting with the right mindset will set you on the right path. Unfortunately, it’s easy to fall into certain bad patterns. We’ve probably all experienced at least one of these three mindsets before and have seen how much they can hinder our progress.

Keeping our mind focused on growth, progress, and success can be harder than it sounds, but once we’ve locked in how to avoid mindset mistakes, the sky’s the limit!

About Emily D. Tisdale, Founder & CEO

Meet the brains — and heart — behind LEAP for Women. Emily is LEAP’s guiding force, committed to supporting women entrepreneurs at every stage in their journey.

She loves LEAP because:

We’re an authentic resource for women who want the nitty-gritty details of running a business. I want everyone to have the same amazing resources I had.

A resident of Indiana, Emily prides herself on being a transplanted Hoosier and enjoys watching Colts football and spending time with her husband and their two children.